A secret admirer writes love letters for years—plot twist, it's been your best friend all along. Awkward!
LA Opera proudly presents The Anonymous Lover (L'Amant Anonyme), an unjustly neglected 1780 chamber opera by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a pioneering Black composer who was a contemporary of Mozart. The comic romance tells the story of Léontine, a beautiful young widow who has become disillusioned with love. Much to her surprise, she receives a steady stream of letters and gifts from an unknown man professing his undying passion. This amuses her friend Valcour, who also claims to have no interest in romance. But now, after hiding his true feelings for years, Valcour works up the courage to reveal that he himself is the devoted secret admirer. Will his (inevitably awkward) confession sway a woman sworn to resist all affairs of the heart?
Acting
Townsend's widow skepticism vs. Stahley's desperate pining.
Production
Chamber intimacy—like watching rich people drama in a jewel box.
Writing
Saint-Georges invented the rom-com structure in 1780, fight me.
Director
Bruce A. Lemon, Jr.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Joseph Bologne was the son of an enslaved woman and a French plantation owner; he became Marie Antoinette's music teacher and Europe's finest fencer. Mozart was jealous. History forgot him. We're fixing that.
This 2020 production was one of the first major stagings after the opera's 1780 premiere—yes, it waited 240 years for its close-up.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
